Parting gifts
by Lotr Addicted
Summary: Klaus had a talent for choosing gifts she hated and adored at the same time. Was his parting gift a promise or a farewell?
1. Chapter 1

_**Author's note: I own nothing related to TVD.**_

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Klaus had finally decided to move to New Orleans. It was better this way. There was nothing keeping him here in Mystic Falls. The only thing that could change his mind was out of reach.

He would move heaven and earth to reunite his family. Even if it was a delusion, his frozen heart would catch a glimpse of warmth in the company of his siblings. He just had to do one last thing before he went away.

Klaus was never good at goodbyes and he frankly wished this was not one. Being blessed and cursed with eternal life, time held no meaning for him. He could wait for centuries if it meant there was a chance for Caroline to love him.

Her smiling face invaded his mind pushing away all thoughts of darkness. He was becoming soft but he liked the feeling. He had already proposed to take her to see the world, but Caroline just shrugged as if the idea was absurd.

Klaus was not sure what he expected from Caroline. He knew she wasn't ready to be by his side. He just hoped that given time, she would come to accept him for what he was: a man in love.

The last steps to her door were the most difficult. What could he say to make her heart warm to him? After many attempts and a lot of things happening they had finally come to being somewhat like friends.

The idea made him laugh. He didn't want to be friends with the exquisite blonde vampire, he wanted to win her heart. This was a consolation prize at best, but he was willing to accept it.

He was about to knock on her door when he heard her voice. Klaus stopped for a moment and closed his eyes. He would engrave the sound of her voice in his memory, to replay it whenever he missed her. For he would miss her, that was an undeniable truth.

Her melodic voice came to his ears like a gentle breeze. She was probably talking on the phone because he could not sense any other presence behind the locked door.

Not wanting to interrupt her, he just came closer to the door and leaned on the left side. As soon as she finished talking it was his turn to say his goodbye.

_Lets hope she's not talking to Elena or Bonnie or I will have to wait here for hours_, he thought suddenly anxious to talk to Caroline.

As luck would have it, Caroline was indeed talking to Elena. The girls were having a conversation he couldn't follow. If they were going to talk about shoes and clothes he would definitely interrupt her. If they were talking about boys … well he couldn't deny that he was curious, at least where Caroline was concerned.

"How are you doing with all this Silas mess?" Caroline asked her friend. They were all struggling to keep up with the evil warlock and the ever changing landscape of friends and foes.

"Uhmm as expected, I am tired of someone always trying to break hell on earth." Elena gave one of her dramatic sighs.

"Right, never a dull day here in Mystic Falls." Caroline agreed. Then, as if she remembered something the last minute, she added enigmatically. "Did you know Klaus is leaving Mystic Falls?"

The few seconds of silence told Caroline that her friend didn't know about the new developments. At that moment she felt a sense of uneasiness clawing at her. She could almost picture Elena's raised eyebrow at the news.

"Wow … we're finally free from Klaus. I can't believe it. How do you know this?" Elena asked though it was kind of a rhetorical question.

Everybody knew Caroline was Klaus's weakness, so it was to be expected that he would tell her he was leaving instead of just vanishing. Caroline on the other hand was in denial and would disregard any thought of Klaus having feelings for her as pure imagination from her romantic friends.

She believed that Klaus was just intrigued by her lack of fear in his presence. He had said that he fancied her, but that didn't necessarily make it true. For all she knew he was just playing the game of distraction just as she was.

"He told me." Caroline finally admitted. Elena and the Salvatores would be thrilled by the news, Bonnie would throw a party to celebrate it. She …

"Well good riddance." Elena said really pleased. Finally some good news for the good guys.

Klaus heard the comment. He didn't mean to eavesdrop but his super hearing brought the words to him and he couldn't … didn't want to shy away. He was curious about what they would say about him.

If he wanted to be honest to himself he was curious about what Caroline would say about him. He couldn't care less about what Elena said, but suddenly Caroline's opinion of him seemed to be as important to him as his pride.

"Yeah ..." Caroline added hesitantly. "He will not mess with our lives anymore." She wanted Klaus gone from her life for so long that she could not savour the small victory now.

Somehow it didn't feel like a victory at all. She had come to see Klaus as a friend. Well, not with the conventional meaning of friendship, there was too much blood on his hands for her to consider him a friend. But she couldn't find a better word for their relationship.

In his own twisted manner, he had saved her when no one expected him to. And she knew in her heart that his feelings were true. Yet she couldn't bring herself to accept those feelings. It was too soon.

"Caroline, are you OK?" Elena asked, worry creeping in her voice. Caroline's sudden silence alarmed her.

"Yeah, I'm OK. Why wouldn't I be?" the blonde responded with more urgency than she meant to.

"If I didn't know you, I would say you almost feel sorry for Klaus leaving." Elena teased trying to get her friend to open up.

Klaus heard the comment and his breath caught on his throat. The small seeds of hope started to grow. He willed the sounds of the night to stop so he could hear what Caroline would answer to that.

"Don't be ridiculous Elena. Have you been drinking? I am not sorry that Klaus is leaving town. On the contrary, I am happy. I am more than happy, I feel ecstatic like in jump-for-joy happy." Caroline tried to convince her friend. The slight trembling of her voice, the sweaty palms of her hands said otherwise but she didn't want to dwell on it.

Klaus let out the breath he realised he was holding till her answer came, his head dropping to his chest. Those poor seeds of hope had just been ripped brutally before blooming.

Even though she didn't sound absolutely sure, there was no mistaking she was content he was finally out of the picture. It shouldn't come as a surprise, yet it stung a bit.

"But?" Elena continued decided not to let the matter go.

"I was thinking … Tyler could come back to me and we would be happy." A small pause to gather her wandering thoughts.

Klaus had heard enough, yet his feet didn't obey him. He was frozen in place, unable to accept the truth of her declaration.

"It's just that he might bite me at any time … by accident I mean." Caroline blurted out finally finding the courage to voice her doubts.

This thought had invaded her mind since the moment Klaus told her he was leaving. She couldn't help feeling she was being ripped of her cure, of her security net. She was selfish and mean for wanting Klaus for his blood but rejecting him as a monster.

"And with Klaus gone, so is the cure." Elena finished her sentence. It made sense, now they were a bunch of vampires who had nothing to fight against a fatal werewolf bite.

Klaus thought he misheard the last words of the two friends, but the stabbing pain in his heart confirmed what he denied to accept. So, all he was to her was a bag of blood to cure werewolf bites? Her boyfriend's fatal bites?

He was so stupid for thinking she had come to accept him at least as a friend. But it was never acceptance, it was just planning for the worst, hoping for the best.

He had used her to get to Stefan and Tyler, but then he had saved her because losing her was simply unacceptable. Yet hearing the simple truth that his blood was all she needed was painful.

He laughed at himself, a bitter laugh that never reached his blue eyes. What did he expect? He came here to say his goodbyes and finally got what he deserved. He was about to say to her that his feelings had not changed, he would wait for her to join him when she was ready. She could call him anytime she needed help.

The irony of this thought annoyed him. That was exactly what she was thinking, how to get his help without getting involved with him.

_You my friend are a walking vaccine and nothing more._ The voice in his head was cruel, but it was right. He should leave. And so he did to return to his refuge and heal his wounded pride.

"Well then ask him to give you a sample of his blood for emergency cases." Elena suggested knowing full well that this was not a matter to laugh about.

One did not simply ask the Original Hybrid for his blood. It just didn't work that way.

"Are you kidding me?" Caroline retorted annoyed. "I have not fallen that low."

"I know Care, I'm just saying ..." Elena started to say but was interrupted by an irritated Caroline.

"You know what, enough of Klaus. Tyler is never gonna bite me again. Lets talk about something else." She concluded not wanting to vent her inexplicable anger at her friend.

They continued the conversation for a few more minutes before saying goodnight.

_What a weird conversation_, Caroline thought to herself when the line went dead. Then she dismissed the thought trying to concentrate on the book she was reading when Elena called her.

The letters on the page danced before her unseeing eyes. Her mind would not let go of a familiar form, a mysterious blonde Original hybrid.

She finally closed her eyes emerged in a dreamless sleep, leaving all worries behind her.


	2. Chapter 2

An imperceptible noise woke her from her sleep. Caroline was sure she heard a knock on the door so she jumped out of her bed and went to see what was going on.

She could see from the glass on the door that there was no one standing on her front porch. She opened the door and was surprised to see a small present waiting for her on the doormat.

The elegant wrapping left no doubts about who the sender was. Though she had told Klaus she didn't want his expensive gifts, he didn't listen to her.

What was it this time? A parting gift? The box had a deep crimson color with white ribbons. Caroline knew Klaus must have left it there but she couldn't make out whether he was still around watching her.

If he wanted to stay hidden, so be it. She wasn't about to run around in her pajamas chasing to thank him. Because even though his persistence was sometimes frustrating, she always thanked him for the gifts. Ingratitude was one of the things she hated most in people.

Caroline closed the door and went to her room with vampire speed. She landed on her bed a little breathless. She could tell it was not from the effort of speeding through her house. The small box in her hands was what caused her excitement. She loved surprises, but she hated goodbyes. This one screamed of words unspoken, of lingering farewells.

Sighing and resigned to the fact that she could not control Klaus's actions, Caroline unwrapped the gift. Her eyes grew wide in surprise when she saw the content of the box.

It was a small beautiful bottle that reminded her of expensive perfumes. But there was no mistaking the dark liquid inside of it. Her breath caught in her throat, her chest hurt a little.

_It's his blood_. This was the only coherent thought in her mind. Everything else was chaos. She was insulted at the insinuation than she only cared for his blood. Then she was ashamed because that was true. And then she felt grateful that he thought of her even after her continuous rejection.

She held the small bottle close to her heart. It was like Klaus was giving her his blessing to be happy with Tyler. He was looking after her even if he wouldn't be around.

She searched the box for a piece of paper with his elegant handwriting on it, but she found none. He would always send a note to her along with his gifts. But then what was there to say when the gift itself spoke volumes of his intentions?

She had his phone number, he told her to call him whenever she needed help. Why was he giving now this gift? Did he want to prove that he cared for her? Or did he want nothing to do with her anymore? The blood would keep her safe without him ever dealing with her again. Or did he fear he might not be able to come to her rescue in time?

Klaus said he would be in New Orléans but nothing stopped him from travelling around the world. She didn't allow him to be by her side, she couldn't ask of him to babysit her.

Then, another thought assaulted her agitated mind. Was it a coincidence that he was sending a vial of his blood after her conversation with Elena? How could he know? Was it possible that he was at her house last night and overheard her talking with Elena?

The thought was disturbing. Klaus would always show up when she less expected him, but she didn't think of him as a stalker. Was it possible that he had come to see her last night? But if he had, why didn't she see him?

She tried to recall her exact words but she was too lost to come up with an answer. She wasn't sure if anything she said last night could be considered offensive to Klaus. But then she had always spoken the truth in his face and he expected no less of her. The lovely drawing of her with the horse that night at the ball was a proof of him appreciating her honesty.

Caroline disregarded the possibility of him being at her house the previous evening. It was safe to assume that a vampire whose boyfriend is a hybrid was at risk of being bitten, even if so in the throes of passion. Klaus had already cured her twice so the gift made perfect sense, especially after him declaring that he would protect her.

Even though she was confused, she dialed his number. She needed to talk to him. The phone rang a few times but no one responded. No velvet voice greeted her with that word of endearment that made her feel special. _Love_.

She insisted on calling him but after a few minutes without response she began frustrated. She would not let the matter at that.

She jumped out of bed, ready to go and confront him. No way she would let that arrogant hybrid leave such a gift at her door and then vanish. He had to hear her and then he could go on with his evil plans for the future. She couldn't care less.

Caroline refused to rush, she went about her morning as she would normally do. The suppressed energy she felt made her restless but she was too stubborn to give in.

It was 9 o'clock in the morning when she stepped out of her door, looking fresh and beautiful like a fairy princess. She took her car and headed for Klaus's mansion. He might dodge her calls but he could not avoid seeing her. The determination gave her the strength to control her slightly shaking hands.

When she arrived at the mansion it was really quiet. Not that she had previous experience on how Klaus's mansion looked at this time in the morning. It was just the eerie silence that got to her.

_Maybe they are all still sleeping_, she said to herself but even she knew that the Original family was too noisy. She was a little afraid of finding Klaus alone at the mansion and for some reason she felt uncomfortable.

Trying to stay composed she got out of the car and walked to the main door with her head held high. After all she had done nothing to provoke the wrath of the unpredictable hybrid.

She knocked repeatedly on the door but no answer came back. Caroline forgot her insecurities and began to get irritated.

She pushed the front door with confidence and was prepared to be greeted by two angry slits of sky blue eyes. She was not prepared to face an empty parlor.

For a second she thought she went to the wrong mansion but that was stupid. The impressive staircase and the vast rooms were exactly as she remembered them, except for being completely bare.

It seemed like no one had lived there for ages. No furnitures covered in white sheets, no signs of someone meaning to return to that place.

She couldn't believe that Klaus was gone. It was like he had erased all evidence of his passage through Mystic Falls. Not that he would be forgotten so easily, after all he had been their nemesis for so long they had become accustomed to hating and plotting against him.

He didn't say goodbye, except for the peculiar gift he left at Caroline's house.

She should be thankful that he would no longer affect her life. In the end she even got his blood to keep her safe. So, she was right then. The bottle of blood meant that he wanted nothing to do with her anymore.

The deafening silence was depressing. Caroline needed closure. She needed to be the one to say the last word in an argument. She needed to say to Klaus that she wanted him out of her life, she didn't want him to deprive her of that.

In a burst of anger she began to dial his number again. He was being stubborn by not answering her calls. Or was he not able to answer? Was he in danger and could not answer the phone?

It was ridiculous for a two year old vampire to worry about an indestructible thousand year old original hybrid. Yet she was anxious to know he was all right. It made no sense, but nothing in their relationship made sense.

She was ready to give up when suddenly Klaus picked up the phone.

"Finally your grace. You decided to pick up the phone after what? 200 missed calls?" Caroline was so relieved that he answered the phone that all her angst was released as a tide of sarcasm aimed at him.

"Good morning Caroline." He answered somewhat tired. "What can I do for you?"

No matter how happy he was that she called him, he knew why she called. She had discovered his parting gift. This was no social call, it was just Caroline being Caroline. But he could no longer live with the tiny bits of herself she gave him out of pity or necessity.

He wanted much more and it was consuming him. He gave her the opportunity to follow him, but he would not wait idle for her to decide. Whenever she was ready, she would find him.

No _love_, just her name, though it still sounded like a caress to her ears. She could tell he was not in the mood to hear her morning rants. She was not in the mood to let it go either.

"You can start by saying what is going on. I am at your mansion and you can guess at my surprise when I found it empty." Caroline replied trying not to sound too judgemental.

"I don't know why you are at my mansion, but I guess it is none of my business anymore. I told you I was leaving Mystic Falls."

"Yes, you told me you would leave in general, but you didn't tell me you were leaving in the middle of the night or whenever it was that you left." she retorted with the insistence of a child that knows he is wrong but won't admit it.

"Was I supposed to?" he commented, his voice devoid of any emotion. Not hostility, not anger, not even annoyance. Just a hint of curiosity.

"Well I thought friends share these things." Caroline was not sure why she was so angry at him. She was supposed to call just to thank him for his gift. She knew that it was a gest of commitment for him to give away his blood like this.

_And I thought I was better than a blood bag, but I was wrong._ Klaus knew he was not being fair to Caroline. She never wanted his friendship to begin with so it was not like she deceived him. He was the one to deceive himself by thinking the pure and forgiving blonde vampire would accept him.

"Hmmm friends ..." he played with the words as if the sound was new to him. And maybe it was. "Anyway, now you know." he finished the sentence. There was no point in arguing if they were friends and what did it really mean.

Caroline was surprised at how detached he sound. It was like he was resigned to the reality of them being nothing more than friends. The distance between them now seemed to grow by the second.

Not that she wanted to keep in touch with him. They had nothing in common other than their love for arts, music, horses and …

_Oh come on Caroline, there must be a hundred men sharing that same interests, why does an evil hybrid leaving make you lose control?_ She always hated that little voice in her head.

"So where are you?" she blurted out trying to think of something to keep the conversation going. She wanted to ask him if he was at her house last night, but suddenly the answer to that question seemed irrelevant now.

"What does it matter? I am far enough to make everyone happy." he answered, his usual cool voice sounding a little accusing.

_To make everyone happy. I am not everyone. _The fact that he thought she would be happy with him gone hurt her, but she could say nothing to make him change his mind.

Caroline suddenly couldn't find anything to say to Klaus. She remembered the reason she called him was to thank him for the precious gift he left her. And then it would be goodbye.

"Fine. The reason I called you is not to yell at you for leaving." She was calm now. There had never really been a reason to get upset to begin with.

"So why have you called?" he was not unfriendly, but he was starting to lose his patience with her. He loved her but would not settle to deal with her anger and temper, if he wasn't to cherish her love. If she wanted him out of her life, it had to be all or nothing.

"I … I just called to thank you for your gift." she said feeling her cheeks blush. Thankfully no one was there to witness her discomfort.

"Right, the gift." He sighed. _I just called to say I love you. _Who was he kidding? He would never hear her say those words. "You're welcome."

"Of all the gifts you have given me and which I have repeatedly rejected, this is the most valuable." she said, the honesty in her voice reaching out to his well shielded heart. "So I wanted to thank you for giving it to me."

Klaus once again realised why he loved her. She could be annoying as hell, but her integrity and her honesty made him want to be a better man for her.

He was at a loss for words. Whatever he said, she would never understand how precious she was to him.

"I just want you to be safe. That was only a token of my friendship, you can call me whenever you need my help."

He meant that. He would kill anyone who would so much as look in her direction with disrespect. That was why he had to stay away from her. He had to fight to become the man she deserved. And maybe then, she could find it in her heart to give him a second chance.

"Thank you Klaus, it means a lot to me." she said. It was true. Even if friendship was not what he wanted of her, he had proven his loyalty.

"Well love, should you need more than a bottle, you know where the source is."

Caroline could imagine the smirk on his devilish handsome face. Whatever regrets he held, now he was back to his usual self. She couldn't tell what had made him change his attitude, but she instinctively knew that she had not lost him.

The line went dead leaving her alone in the middle of his parlor.

The sense of loss she experienced earlier was now almost gone. She knew that someday their paths would cross again. Maybe then she would be ready to give him a gift as precious as his blood.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Author's Note: This is just a bonus chapter added to thank a friend for being supportive and encouraging. Also thanks to anyone who read it :-)**_

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Caroline was smiling to herself. For some reason she felt relieved now that she spoke to Klaus. She didn't want to leave things between them like that.

She sighed and put her cell phone in her purse. The truth was she was going to miss him. Despite her defenses and stubbornness, his charming smile had breached the walls of her fortress.

Her heart was under siege for too long, it was not her fault if the enemy was starting to win. Even Troy fell in the end. She found herself wondering what was his Trojan horse. Was it the gifts? Was it that special smile that warmed her heart? Was it how he always treated her like a princess? Or was it that he somehow understood her too well for an enemy?

It was funny how her mind was playing games with her logic. She had come to his mansion with the intent to put him in his place and never again let him offer her gifts. And now she was smiling inwardly.

Caroline decided that staying in the middle of his empty parlor was definitely not the best thing to do. Her mission was completed, she had to go back to her life.

She turned in her heels, head held high with pride, ready to conquer the world. She was Miss Mystic Falls after all.

And then she was struck in awe. Caroline couldn't form a coherent thought as she took in the sight in front of her eyes.

Klaus was standing by the front gate, leaning nonchalantly on the door. He was smiling at her, a smile that reached his brilliant blue eyes and radiated genuine amusement.

Caroline couldn't believe her eyes. He had just hung up and told her he was faraway. Apparently he thought it hilarious to make fun of her.

Klaus couldn't take his eyes off of her face. She was beautiful, that was a given. But what intrigued him most was the way her emotions showed on that adorable face.

At first it was surprise. Probably it was wishful thinking but he could swear she was happy to see him. Then it swiftly changed to caution. She was already guessing at his next move, trying to prepare for a strike. Then it was annoyance. He could tell she didn't like this last minute surprise.

_Why is he smiling at me? What is so damn amusing that he cannot resist it? Why is he even here?_

Caroline was having trouble gathering her thoughts, while he seemed so relaxed, so in harmony with his surroundings that it only made her mad.

"Klaus" she gasped. "What are you doing here?" Her voice sounded so strange that for a moment she thought another person talked instead of her.

"I used to live here, remember?" he didn't answer her question, convinced that it would not buy him much time. It wasn't like he wanted to play with her. He honestly didn't know why he was there.

"Let's try again. This time please do not treat me as a child. Why are you here?" Caroline was beginning to feel frustrated. She did not expect to see him again so soon.

Five minutes earlier she was feeling nostalgic when thinking about him. Now he was in front of her in flesh and blood and she was furious. _Damn him_.

Klaus knew that it would only insult her if he wasn't being honest. "I don't know. I felt like I had to see you again one last time before I go."

_One last time._ The words left a bitter taste in her mouth. She hated goodbyes, didn't he already know that?

"I thought we said our goodbyes on the phone. How long have you been standing there?" Accusation crept in her voice and she did nothing to conceal it.

"I just arrived." He announced, his gaze holding hers in an attempt to show her he was being honest. To his great annoyance, he couldn't tell if she believed him.

"Seriously Klaus? You just told me you were far enough for everyone to be happy. And a few seconds later I find you sneaking up on me." She crossed her arms in front of her and started to tap her foot on the floor unable to hide her impatience.

He was so damn annoying she was barely able to control herself and not attack him. How dare he toy with her so mercilessly?

"I only said I was leaving Mystic Falls. I never said I already left. This morning I made the last arrangements for my things to be sent to my new residence."

His smile was slowly fading, yet that loving glow that transformed him from a hideous monster to a handsome devil still held her captive.

"Stop playing with words Klaus. I am not stupid."

"No love, you're not." he agreed. "When I said that I was far enough for everyone to be happy, I didn't mean you. Or at least I hoped you were not like everyone else."

He was serious now. He hadn't moved an inch from the moment she first saw him. Yet the room seemed to shrink and she was starting to feel an uncomfortable heat surrounding her.

"I am not like everyone else." she declared proudly. "I will not allow anyone, not even you, to play with me as if I was a mindless bimbo."

_She stands her ground like a true amazon_, he thought, his heart swelling with pride. She was a remarkable woman and he would want nothing more than to have her by his side. But it was too soon, if it ever would be a chance for them.

"Indeed." Klaus cleared his throat. He wasn't sure what to say to make her forget her hostility.

And then he made up his mind. He was stalling and it was not like him. If he wanted something, he just took it. He was the Original Hybrid.

Slowly he began to walk towards Caroline. She stood in the middle of the room with the grace of a warrior princess.

Caroline had to brace herself to not flinch. It took every ounce of self-control to hold his piercing gaze. It was a game of wills and she would not lose. Not to him.

His eyes glowed gold for the briefest moment. She thought she imagined that feral glow, but the way he moved, like a true predator, convinced her that it was not her imagination.

She should feel scared, after all one bite from him could send her to oblivion in the blink of an eye. Yet she stood there mesmerized. Her form was frozen, the battle raging inside her not visible to the outside world.

She wanted to flee, she had to get away from him. He was too dangerous. Yet she was entranced by the look in his deep blue sea eyes. That gaze held a hidden promise, a promise she should not care about.

_Treacherous body, _she cursed. She always thought of herself as brave and decisive, but now her feet refused to obey her logic. She had no time, he was already in front of her.

Klaus did not flash in front of her with vampire speed. It was a game of seduction, he wanted to give her time to leave if she wanted to. She had not moved. Dare he hope she was finally giving into him? There was only one way to find out.

When he was mere inches away from her, he stopped. The fire in his eyes ignited a dormant spark in her heart. But Caroline was too stubborn to let it burst to flame.

She just shrugged and let her hands fall to her sides. He was trying to intimidate her, that's all. It was definitely not working, her trembling hands were just a coincidence.

"You asked why I am here." his deep velvet voice reached her thundering ears like it was coming from miles away.

She was suddenly breathless. She just nodded, not trusting herself to say anything.

"Well ... I just realized I left you no note with your gift." he said while reaching to tuck a disobedient curl behind her ear.

The caress was light as a morning breeze, yet her heart started pounding. She wanted to believe it was fear of a superior creature, far stronger and more dangerous than her. But it was not true.

She was glad that she was on vervain, otherwise she would be terrified of being compelled. She even started thinking of thousand stupid small things, just to keep her mind away from the temptation in front of her.

"What would you write in your note?" it was a pathetic try to stay strong. She needed air, he was standing too close to her.

Klaus then smiled at her. It held a thousand promises of happiness and she unwillingly found herself smiling back.

He put his arms around her lithe body and gently brought her in his embrace. Taking his time to savor the feel of her against his body, he leaned over and brushed his lips on hers.

Caroline could see where this was going, but did not have the strength to react. Nor did she try to remove herself from his gentle embrace. It felt so right it had her aching for more.

His lips were soft and warm, taking what she would offer, but not demanding too much. His enticing scent filled her senses and she was lost in the feeling. Her lips parted giving him free entrance to heaven.

Being the devil he was, he did not waste time. One hand behind the nape of her neck, the other resting on her waist, he deepened the kiss. Her hands, of their own accord, went over his shoulder, tracing the hard line of muscles under his shirt.

At that moment all she could think about was him. The dance of their tongues, the heat of their bodies, the blood boiling in her veins told her that this was right. Her logic could scream as much as she wanted, Caroline simply didn't care. She just wanted to feel.

And feel she did. It was like a dream, she never wanted to lose this feeling of bliss. At that moment he wasn't the much hated hybrid, she wasn't someone else's girlfriend.

Klaus's heart was racing like mad. Her heady scent, the fire she lit in his body left him weak. But he didn't mind being weak around her. He had dreamt for so long for this moment, he couldn't believe she was in his arms.

She broke the kiss gasping for air. They were both breathless. He didn't want to let go, but magic lasts only so long.

"It must have been in Latin. I didn't understand a word." She was smiling now, an imperceptible blush coloring her flushed face.

He couldn't help but giggle. He would wait for her till her mind accepted what her heart already knew.

"It said that I will wait for you always and forever." Klaus planted a kiss on her forehead and summoning all his will power, he moved away from her. Losing touch felt like being naked in the snow, the cold creeping to every bone in his body.

But he would have to wait for her to be ready, she was definitely worth it.

Caroline brought her arms in front of her as if to embrace herself from the cold. This was too much for her to process. She had enjoyed every second of being in Klaus's arms. And now she hated him for making her want more.

Klaus took a step back, always looking in her eyes. He wanted to engrave this moment in his memory to last him till she was once again in his arms. And then he flashed away with vampire speed.

Caroline gasped in surprise. She would believe it was all just a dream, was it not for her swollen from the kiss lips, her racing heart and her sweaty palms.

He was there and he kissed her. She kissed him back and would do it again in a heartbeat. Maybe it was too soon to follow him, but she knew now how it felt to be his.


End file.
